In a meeting in Tehran with Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran’s foreign minister, Wegger Christian Strommen expressed the hope that nuclear talks between Iran and the Group 5+1 (the five permanent UN Security Council members plus Germany) will come to a conclusion as soon as possible and that international and unilateral sanctions will be lifted.
Iran and the Group 5+1 (also known as the P5+1 or E3+3) have been in talks to hammer out a final agreement to end more than a decade of impasse over Tehran’s nuclear energy program.
In November 2013, the two sides signed an interim deal –the Joint Plan of Action- in Geneva that took effect on January 20, 2014 and expired six months later. They later extended the deal until November 24, 2014.
After failing to hammer out a lasting accord by the self-imposed November 24 deadline, the parties once again decided to extend the deadline more seven for months.
Elsewhere in his remarks, the Norwegian diplomat described the Islamic Republic as a major country in the Middle East that strives for establishing stability and peace in the region.
Strommen also underlined Oslo’s resolve to expand relations with Tehran.
Zarif, for his part, hailed the enhanced political consultations between Iran and Norway and stressed the need for the two countries to develop bilateral ties.
He also referred to the nuclear negotiations and said Europe can play a major role in the talks and can significantly contribute to securing a comprehensive agreement and the removal of sanctions.